Vending-machine.



E. E. SULLIVAN.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILBD OCT. 28, 1909.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

4'SHEETS-SHBET 1.

B. B. sULLIvAN'.

VENDING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 28, 1909.

Patented D60. 27, 191(1 I I i .16 42 4 sums-sum 2, 1- J5 J1 14 J.

THE Noams PETERS 5a., WASHINGTON, n. c.

E. E. SULLIVAN.

VENDING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED our, 28, 1909.

Patented 1300.27, 1910;

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

57 WIII' I 55' I/za cvzfa/r z'i/z m s 6,5, ZziZE yM/zb a, 5. WM. 4

E. B. SULLIVAN. VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28, 1909.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

Wil /Maia? n12 NORRIS PETERS c -line a2m of Fig. 9, Fig.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE ERNEST E. SULLIVAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VENDING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST E. SULLIVAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to vending machines and more specifically to that class thereof designed for the vending of newspapers.

The object of my invention is the provision of a vending machine of the charac ter mentioned adapted upon the deposition of a coin or coins of required denomination therein, to be actuated to vend one of the newspapers contained therein.

A further object is the provision of a vending machine as mentioned which will be positive in its operation and strong, durable, and thoroughly efficient in its construction.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view my invention consists in a vending machine characterized as above mentioned and in certain details of construction and arrangement of parts all as will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention will be more readily under stood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specifica tion, and in which,

Figure l is a perspective view of my device in its preferred form, Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective details of parts of the coin re ceiving mechanism of the device, Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on substantially the i5 is an enlarged detail perspective illustrating the sectional construction of guide members embodied in the device, Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the lower extremity of one of the guide members and the mechanism mounted adjacent thereto and cooperating therewith, Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on substantially the line g of Fig. 4, Figs. 8 and 9 are horizontal sections taken on substantially the lines and 10-20 respectively of Fig. 4, Fig. 10 is a detail of one of the paper supporting rods included in the device, F 11 is an enlarged detail top plan view of the coin chutes and the mechanism arranged adjacent thereto and cooperating directly therewith, Fig. 12 is an Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed October 28, 1909.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910. Serial No. 525,040.

enlarged detail front elevation of the coin l chutes, and Fig. 13 is a section on line 00 of Fig. 12.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 indicates the substantially rectangular housing or casing of the device which is preferably formed of a suit-able sheet metal. The upper front portion of the casing is open, the same being closed by a swinging door 2 hung upon suitable hinges 3. A suitable look 4 is provided whereby said door may be locked in closing position. The bottom 5 of the casing is rearwardly obliquely disposed as shown, an opening 6 being provided in the front wall of the casing at the forward extremity of the former for a purpose which will be hereinafter described. Arranged upon and rigidly secured to the illner surface of the side walls of the casing in horizontal alinement with each other are metallic blocks or sections of guide members 7 in each of which is formed a vertically extending groove or channel 8. Having their lower extremities resting upon the upper ends of said members 7, the latter being provided with studs 9 which engage perforations or slots 10 formed in the lower eX- tremities thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, are vertically disposed guide members 11 in each of which is provided a guide groove or channel 12. Said channels are so arranged in the members 11, that, when the latter are arranged upon the members 7, the former will be in longitudinal alinement with the channels 8 to form one continuous channel upon each side of the casing. A horizontal disposed strap 13 of a shape conforming with the form of the rearward portion of the casing, the respective ends of the same being secured to the respective guide members 11 adjacent the lower ends thereof, serves as a means of rigidly spacing the latter. The upper ends of said guide members are connected by a connecting bar 14. Centrally threaded in the bar 14 is a thumb screw 15 the upper extremity of which is pointed to engage a recess 16 centrally formed in the under surface of the top of the casing, such construction being clearly shown in Fig. 4. By such provision, upon the arrangement of the guide members 11 upon the blocks 7, the same may be readily locked in position thereon by simply rotating said screw until the same engages said recess. The channels 8 and 11 are of such form as to adapt the same to snugly receive the enlarged ends 17 of bars 18 which are adapted to slide in said channels.

Having its parallelly disposed end portions 19 slidably mounted in loops 20 secured to the side wall-of the casing in horizontal alinement with the lower ends of the guide sections 7, is a U-shaped member 21. Having their rearward ends adjustably secured, preferably threaded, as shown in the rearward offset ends of the portions 19 of the member 21, the same passing through guide loops 22 secured to the members 7, are rearwardly projecting rods 23 the rearward extremities of which are preferably tapered or pointed as shown. Said rods 28 are of such length and are so adjusted that when the member 21 is in normal position or at the rearmost extremity of its movement, the former, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 6, will be disposed to traverse the channels 8 so as to prevent the passage of bars 18 therethrough; and that when said member 21 is at the foremost extremity of its movement, said rods will be drawn forward sufficiently to permit of the passage of the bars 18.

Provided at the lower ends of the members 7 slightly rearward of the channels provided therein, are tubular bearing members 24 in arch of which is slidably mounted a rod 25 normally held at its forward extremity of movement by a compression spring 26, such construction being clearly shown in Fig. 6. Formed upon said rods are ears 27 projecting through slots 28 formed in the bearing members 2 1, said ears being so disposed as to traverse the path of movement of the rearward extremities of the rods 23. The rods 23 and 25 are so proportioned and arranged that when the former are in their rearmost position the latter will be forced rearwardly thereby against the tension of the springs 26 to such an extent that the forward extremities thereof will be positioned rearward of the channels 8, and that when the rods 23 are at their foremost positions the rods 25 will be forced for ard by the springs 26 to positions in which the same will traverse the lower extremities of said channels. With such arrangement it is clear that the bars 18 arranged in the guide channels in a manner before described, will normally be supported upon the rods 23. Upon forward movement of the latter the lowermost bar 18 will be dropped so as to be supported upon the rods 25, whence it will be dropped upon the return movement of the rods 28, since in such movement said rods 25 are forced rearwardly as before described. The enlargement 17 formed upon the extremities ofeach of the bars 18 is provided to space the latter apart, the same being of such diameter that, when the lowermost bar 18 is supported upon the rods 25, the next above will be spaced therefrom suffi- 1 ciently to permit of the passage of the rods 23 between them in its returning movement, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. With such con atruction then, it will be observed that but one bar 18 will be released from the guide channels upon each complete reciprocation of the member 21. Obliquely disposed I flanges 29 provided upon the inner surfaces of the casing side walls are so arranged thereon that, as the bars 18 are dropped from the guide channels, the same will be deflected thereby to cause the deposition there of into a receptacle 30 arranged upon the rearward end of the bottom Secured in the forward end portion of the casing 1 is a vertically disposed transversely extending member 31. Having their rearward ends adjustably secured in said memher are forwardly projecting rods or bolts 32 provided at their forward extremities with heads Slidably mounted upon said rods the same being normally held at its rearward extremity of movement thereof by compression springs 3-1, is a rectangular plate Having its inner extremity adjustably secured substantially centrally to said plate, the same projecting forwardly therefrom through the front wall of the casing is a stem 36 upon the outer extremity of which is provided a handle or grip 3T.

Adjustably mounted upon the stem 36, the

same being locked in position thereon by a set screw 38, is a depending finger 39 of a length such that the same is adapted to engage the front edge of the front bar of the member 21, as clearly shown in Fig. il.

Formed upon the front side of the plate is a plurality of tortuous coin chutes 4-0,

41 and 42 designed to receive coins of various denominations. Pivotally secured as at d3 adjacent said chutes are levers 41st, 15 and 16 respectively so formed that, when in nor mal position or the dotted line position thereof shown in Fig. 12, the upper extren'iities thereof will serve to complete flaring mouths for the chutes 40, 41 and 42, while the lower ofiset extremities thereof will traverse the lower extremities of said chutes to prevent complete passage of coins therethrough and when said levers are rocked to the full line position shown in Fig. 12, the bars 17 provided at the upper ends thereof will traverse the mouths of the chutes to prevent insertion of a coin, the lower ends of said levers, when the latter are in such positions, being rocked from engagement with the lower extremities of said chutes permitting of complete passage therethrough. With such construction it will be observed, that the insertion of a coin in any of the chutes will only be permitted when the levers 414:, 15 and 416 are in a position in which the coin inserted will be stopped in its passage through the chute by the lower extremity of one of said levers.

it being clear, that, upon the insertion of a coin into one of the chutes with the bars 4? in, a position traversing the mouths of said chutes, said coin will first cause the rocking of said levers to the before named position before it can pass the bar preventing its insertion. Said lower ends of said levers are so formed that only a coin of a certain thickness will be supported thereby, hence if a coin of less thickness than that of the required coin is inserted the same will not be stopped by said levers but will be permitted to pass clear through the same.

Formed in the front and rearward walls of the coin chutes are alining perforations 48 and 49 respectively, the latter being of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the coin applicable to the chute in the wall of which it is formed, and so positioned therein that a coin supported in the lower extremity of the chute will be positioned concentrically therewith. In the chute 41 which is designed to receive two coins simultaneously, the coins when deposited therein resting one upon or over the other, as shown in Fig. 12, the uppermost of said coins will assume the position relative to the perforations in said chute, above described.

Having their forward ends rigidly secured in the front bar of the member 21, the same being arranged therein in axial alinement with the perforations 48 and 49, is a plurality of rearwardly projecting arms 50. \Vith such provision it is evident, that upon the forward movement of the plate 35, the arms 50 in the event of no coins having been deposited in any of the chutes, will pass directly through the perforations 48 and 49 provided therein hence will not effect an operative connection with the plate However, in the event of a coin having been deposited in one of said chutes, the rearward extremity of one of said arms will engage said coin, whereupon further forward movement of said plate will cause also the forward drawing or movement of the member 21 with it. By providing the perforation 49 of a diameter relative to the diameter of the coin deposited in the chute in which it is formed, as before described, it is evident that if a coin of a diameter less than that of the required coin is deposited in one of the coin chutes the same, upon the forward drawing of the plate 35 will be forced from the chute by one of the arms 50, hence such a coin would not effect an operative connection.

Connecting the upper ends of the levers 44, and 4G is a bar 51 in one of the lateral end portions of which is formed a slot 52. Having its forward extremity secured rigidly to the front wall of the casing. the same projecting rearwardly therefrom through the slot 52 is a horizontally disposed angular cam arm 53. The latter is of such form and said slot is so positioned in the bar 51, that, upon the forward movement of the plate 35, said bar will be drawn laterally to eti'ect the rocking of the levers 44, and 46 from normal coin-supportingposition to coin-releasing-position. Vith 7 such provision it is evident that upon the before described actuation of the plate 35 with a deposited coin carried in one of the coin chutes thereof, said coin upon the releasing of said plate or the returning thereof to normal position will be released from the chute containing the same and permitted to drop therefrom. However, it is clear, that in such actuation of the plate, in the event of a proper coin being supported in 30 one of the chutes thereof, that one of the arms 50 will engage the same to form an operative connection between said plate and the member 21, as before described, said coin being held in said chute during the for- 35 ward drawing or movement of said plate because of the frictional contact between the same and the engaging arm 50, hence said coin will not be released from the chute until said plate and hence the engaging arm 50 is released or forced rearwardly to normal position. As shown in Fig. 2, slot 52 is of such width that, in such returning movement of the plate 85, the bar 51 will not be returned to initial position by the cam arm 53, such returning of said arm so as to properly position the coin supporting levers, being efl'ected by a coin upon its insertion into one of the coin chutes, as before described. In order to receive the coin or coins when released from the coin chutes, a receptacle 54 disposed beneath said chutes is provided. Said receptacle is mounted upon supporting guides 55 provided upon the side walls of the casing, and may be re moved from the latter through an opening 56 provided in the front wall thereof. A suitable hinged door 57 is provided to normally close said opening.

As seen, the casing directly above the coin 11o chutes and the mechanism adjacent theretois offset. Secured upon the offset portions of the side and front walls of the casing, the same being so disposed as to be in close proximity with the upper extremities of the 11 coin chutes, is a horizontally disposed plate 58. Formed in said plate in vertical alinement with the coin chutes 40, 41 and 42 when the same are in normal or rearward position, is a plurality of slots 59, 59 and 5$)l 12 respectively, the latter being of such dimensions as to adapt the same to snugly receive coins of various predetermined denominations. For example, the slots 59 and 59' may be of dimensions such that the samel will each snugly receive a cent, and the slot 59 of dimensions such that the largest coin insertible therein will be a nickel. Arranged upon said plate 58 over said coin slots is a plate 60 in which is provided an .1

opening (31. Said plate is provided at its rearward edge with an upwardly extending flange ('32 secured to and rearwardly projecting from which is a threaded stud (33. Ii flange 6% formed at the rearward edge of the plate 58 is provided with a plurality of perforations 65 adapted to receive the stud (33, said perforations being so arranged, that when said stud is in engagement therewith, one of the coin slots will be in registering position with and hence accessible through the opening 61, the other two slots being covered by said plate. With such provision said plate may be arranged to expose any one of the slots desired and to close the remaining two. By means of a thumb screw 66 adapted to be threaded upon the stud 63, said plate (30 may be securely locked in adjusted position.

The operation of the device is as follows: The newspapers 67 to be vended are arranged in the upper portion of the casing in horizontally disposed vertically alining position, with adjacent or successive papers thereof separated by a bar 18. The latter are arranged with their enlarged extremities engaging the guide channels 8 or 12, as before described, and with the lowermost thereof supported upon the rods 23. In order to facilitate holding the papers in the position stated and to insure a positive downward feeding thereof, a weight 68 is provided. Said weight being provided with guide pins 69 at either of its ends engaging the guide channels upon the side walls of the casing, and a flaring base member 70 which rests directly upon the top of the pile of papers to be vended, the same is evidently adapted to accomplish the above stated purpose. All that is required in order to operate the machine is to drop the required coin or coins (in the event of the slot 59 being exposed two coins being required), to pull the bandle 37 forward as far as is possible and then to force the same rearwardly again, such rear ard forcing being facilitated to a certain degree by the spring 36. In such operation the lowermost bar 18, as before described, and hence the newspaper supported thereby, will. be released, the latter upon being released dropping to the inclined bottom 5 upon which it descends and until discharged through the opening (3, said bar, as before described, being deposited into the receptacle provided therefor. In order to reduce friction so as to insure the passage of the released paper down the inclined bottom 5, a roller 71 is provided directly below the guide channels 8 upon Vhich the paper, in descending, will first strike, said roller evidently deflecting the paper in the proper direction.

Attached by a flexible cord or chain 72 to the weight 68 is a plate 73 which, when the device is loaded with papers, is arranged upon the top of the uppermost of the latter directly'beneath said weight. With such arrangement upon the discharge of the last or uppermost paper said plate will descend and be discharged with it. Upon said plate is arranged a reading such as Sold out to indicate to a prospective purchaser that the device is exhausted of its papers. Upon the front door of the casing is provided channel supports 74 in which may be supported a sign 7 5 to advertise the name of the paper contained within. Upon the plate 58 at the coin slots provided therein, are arranged numerals to indicate the coin or coins required.

By the provision of the coin slots being made of dimensions to adapt the same to exactly receive the required coin, of the perforations 49 being made of diameters slightly less than the diameters of the coin required, and by the provision of the levers 44-, 4.5 and 46 being adapted to support coins of thicknesses not less than that of the coin required, the possibilities of the insertion of an improper or valueless one accidentallv or with intent to fraud, will be reduced to a minimum.

By forming the guide channel members for the bars 18 in removable sections as 11, convenience and ease in filling the machine is effected, since the papers may be arranged in said sections outside of the machine after which they may be replaced. In order to support the bars 18 in said sections, when the same are detached for such filling, the 100 lower ends of the latter are provided with transverse slots 7 6 into which may be inserted temporarily pins 77, the latter being withdrawn when the guide members 11 are positioned in the device.

lVhile I- have shown what I deem to be the prefeable form of my device I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be various changes made in the details of con struction and the arrangement of parts with- 110 out departing from the spirit of the invention comprehended within the scope of the appended claims. And although I have de signed m] device with special reference to the vending of newspapers the same may 115 be employed in the vending of any other articles of the general form of a newspaper to which it is applicable.

Having described my claim as new and ters Patent is:

1. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing; vertical T-shaped guide channels provided at either side of said casing; supporting rods having enlarged cylindrical 125 ends liding in said channels; a reciprocatory rod adapted to pass between said supporting rods; a reciprocatory spring held stop arranged below said reciprocatory rod at a distance substantially equal to the thick- 134 invention what I desire to secure by Letness of said supporting rods and on the other side of said supporting rods from said reciprocatory rod; a connection between said reciprocatory rod and said stop for normally holding said stop in inoperative position when said rod is operative but to prevent a limited movement of said stop when said rod is operated; and means for reciprocating said rod, substantially as described.

2. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing having a sloping discharge bottom; vertical T-shaped guide channels provided at either side of said casing; supporting rods having enlarged cylindrical ends sliding in said channels; a reciprocatory rod adapted to pass between said supporting rods; a reciprocatory spring held stop arranged below distance substantially equal to the thickness of said supporting rods and on the other side said reciprocatory rod at a] of said supporting rods from said reciprocatory rod; a connection between said reciprocatory rod and said stop for normally holding said stop in inoperative position when said rod is operative but to prevent ERNEST E. SULLIVAN. Witnesses lV. C. SMITH, JOSHUA R. H. Po'rTs.

guides arranged 

